The Senate Seats Democrats Are Gunning For

Tectonic changes in the electoral landscape for the U.S. Senate have impacted the outlook on whether and how control of the upper chamber might change after next year’s elections.

To retake the majority from Republicans after last year’s midterm wave, Democrat must win a minimum of four net seats and maintain the White House for a tie-breaking vote in the Vice President.

Presently there are five seats that Democrats will be targeting, but it’s still too early to predict whether these will provide enough ammo for them to regain the Senate.

In Illinois, Mark Kirk’s victory was arguably the biggest surprise of his cycle. The state from which the president hails and which gave him the vote twice could flip back to its inherent blueness, though the state now has a Republican governor in Bruce Rauner.

In Wisconsin, Ron Johnson could have a difficult time fending off a challenge from very popular former senator Russ Feingold in this blue state.

Kelly Ayotte’s win in New Hampshire wasn’t so much a surprise given the state’s historical unpredictability. But in presidential cycles, it trends blue, especially when Democrat governors are on the ticket.

Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania is similarly in blue territory and faces a potential challenge from former Democrat Rep. Joe Sestak.

In Nevada, the single best potential pickup for the GOP — which could be the foil for Democrat plans — is Harry Reid’s seat, which he is vacating after his retirement.

6 COMMENTS

Democrats’ Senate prospects will reflect the level of Republican fratricide in the Presidential race. Is Feingold still viable in Wisconsin? Can’t Feingold find another job rather than returning to one he left? He is the epitome of career politician. The dislike for Harry Reid is so great that even a weak Republican has a good chance of defeating his pick, the former attorney general, Catherine Cortez-Masto. Reid was supported in 2010 by a long list of local Republican officials who disliked the woman nominee, Sharron Engle, demonizing her because the old boys feared the end of lucrative Federal grants from Reid’s connections.

The D candidates in Nevada have a BIG advantage in having the SEIU running the vote tabulating equipment. They decide months in advance how many votes are accorded to each candidate and make sure they are spot on at election time.
Time to prohibit and disband ALL “Public sector employee unions” in the US.

The SEIU has less influence with all the layoffs. Similarly, the unionized-casino workers are fewer in number after the housing crash. Much will depend on turnout, which was very, very low in 2014, allowing Republicans to win NV seats they ordinarily wouldn’t have had a prayer of securing.

The casino workers are private sector and deserve considerable scrutiny. The SEIU deserves nothing less than being banned and dismantled, all assets taken over and transferred to their pension fund. Private sector employees bargain with Private owners and that’s fine. Public sector employees “bargain” with compliant politicians that have -0- skin in the game and as such Must be DESTROYED en toto!

Quite frankly, given their individual voting histories on the important issues, none of the four “targeted” Senators deserves reelection. It’s not worth it to me to expend money and/or effort to elect “Republicans” who vote with the Democommies. “War is when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you identify the enemy for yourself.” Semper Fi!